1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a modular hearing aid device having a microphone module that comprises a microphone module housing and at least one microphone, and having a hearing aid device module that comprises a hearing aid device module housing, whereby the microphone module housing supplements the hearing aid device module housing to form a housing of the hearing aid device having a uniform effect, and whereby the microphone module and the hearing aid device module are detachably connected.
2. Description of the Related Art
A modular structure of a hearing aid device is known. The modules are usually located in the inside of the hearing aid device, and the modules are surrounded by the housing of the hearing aid device. When a module is attached to the outside, then this module has the job of improving the functionality. This module can be more easily replaced in the case of a battery module. In the case of a microphone module, for example, this can be adapted to the existing acoustic situation by using a spatial alignment.
A modular hearing aid device of the species initially cited is disclosed by German Patent Document DE 8804743 U1. The individual parts of this device—microphone, amplifier, volume control, earphone and battery housing chamber—are fashioned as modules that are joined to form a common housing and connected to one another by mechanical screw-type, plugin or catch connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,917 discloses a modularly constructed hearing aid device that comprises the following modules: a microphone module, a loudspeaker module, an amplifier module and a battery module. The modules are clad with common cover plates.
A further modular hearing aid device is disclosed by German Patent Document DE 198 52 758 A1, in which a microphone system is constructed in the form of a module and is secured to a carrier that is rotatably and pivotably attached to the hearing aid housing. As a result, the microphone system can be directed, for example, to a speaker for improving the directional characteristic.
German Patent Document DE 196 35 229 A1 discloses a microphone module, whereby the microphone are equipped with a sound channel. This improves the protection of the microphones against dirt, simplifies the arrangement of the operating elements and enables an effective shielding given a constantly good directional effect of the microphone. The microphone module is attached to the housing of the hearing aid device.
Attached microphone modules have the disadvantage that the hearing aid devices lose their compact structure for the benefit of functionality.